Your dog’s diet plays a very crucial role in maintaining their overall health.
As with humans, not getting the right amount of proper nutrition could lead to a variety of issues that could inevitably affect your dog’s quality of life.
Of course, we only want the best for our dogs, which is why we want to make sure they’ll only get the best meals as much as possible.
Sometimes, however, certain conditions arise that necessitate the prescription of a special dietary program.
When this happens, pet owners could expect a change not only in the kinds of food to be served to their dog, but also in their budget allocation for dog food as well.
And yes, some pet insurance covers prescription dog food. Click here for our recommended pet care plan.
What is Prescription Dog Food?
Prescription dog food is unlike any other regular types of dog food in the sense that it is specifically designed to address certain illnesses or health issues in dogs, or are created to fill and improve a particular nutrient deficiency.
And unlike regular dog food, prescription dog food, as its name suggests, requires the prescription of a veterinarian before it can be purchased in the store.
It would also have very specific instructions on how to give it to the dog, and how much should be served every meal.
The hope is that with this specially curated diet, your dog’s condition will begin seeing an improvement, and that it’s going to be a diet that’s sustainable for the long run.
Why is Prescription Dog Food Necessary?
There are various reasons why prescription dog food becomes necessary.
It could be that your dog has very strong food sensibilities, and so can only intake very specific food items and their combinations.
It’s also possible that your dog is about to undergo treatment or medication, and their dietary plan must adhere to the requirements of the procedure.
Apart from that, it could also be that your dog simply is such a picky eater, that it’s become very difficult to ensure that they will be getting the nutrition they need to stay healthy.
Some conditions that might necessitate the prescription of dog food include weight management, allergies, diabetes, skin issues, dental issues, and others.
More serious illnesses such as cancer, kidney issues, gastrointestinal problems, renal issues, arthritis are also possible reasons.
Types of Prescription Dog Food
Prescription dog food comes in a variety of types. As to which type will be prescribed for your dog will ultimately depend on your dog’s condition or diagnosis, breed, size, and weight.
These statistics will also determine how much should be served to them, and how frequently should their meals be.
For dog food, prescription food could be hypoallergenic.
This means that it’s safe enough for those dogs that have severe food sensitivities, which prevent them from being properly nourished.
There are also dog foods specifically created for senior dogs.
As dogs get older, their dietary requirements become different.
They would need food that’s going to be gentler on their gastrointestinal system, while also giving them their full dietary needs to help keep them strong, mobile, and agile.
Senior dog foods could help address and make more manageable certain conditions like arthritis or gastrointestinal sensitivities.
Meanwhile, other types of dog food may include dental support, digestive care, and low-GI care as well.
Cost Of Prescription Dog Food
While it’s all well and good that you can get prescription food for your dog so they can eat a good, healthy meal, it’s also important for you to be able to prepare for this cost.
After all, prescription dog food is not your typical dog food type, which means that you might have to shell out a bit extra more.
Considering that you would have to feed your dog at least twice a day, and then multiply that for the rest of the year, you can be sure that the costs are definitely going to be driven upwards.
When that happens, you want to be ready for it, so your dog’s needs won’t have to be sidelined on account of your lack of preparation.
It would also depend on the brand of the dog food prescribed.
Given all these considerations, it’s very possible that you could end up spending as much as $800 every year, just on your pet’s prescription food alone.
To be prepared, scout for possible options for prescription dog food.
Determine the ideal quantity of serving for each meal, and how often throughout the day.
Confirm the size and weight of your dog–these information are going to be crucial in determining the quantity to be served to your dog.
Of course, the bigger the dog, the bigger the size of the dog food supply should be.
Pet Insurance And Prescription Dog Food
Is it possible to cut back on dog food expenses, especially if it’s prescription?
The good news is that, in a nutshell, yes, you could save some money on prescription dog food.
The only catch is that you need to make sure this item is particularly indicated in your pet insurance policy. Click here for our recommended pet care plan.
This isn’t a typical feature in pet insurance policies, however, so you might want to sit down with your agent and discuss possible options for this.
While some policies cover accidents and certain illnesses, you might have to get prescription dog food as a separate add-on from the policy.
Be that as it may, though, the important thing is for you to get pet insurance coverage, and preferably, it’s something that could allow you to get coverage for prescription dog food.